


Prison Pancakes

by Aurelius_Carlan



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro lives AU, But he does go to jail, Gen, The other Phantom Thieves are mentioned, Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-10 00:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurelius_Carlan/pseuds/Aurelius_Carlan
Summary: Akechi Goro was saved from Shido's palace, testified against him, and went to prison. Years have passed by, but this day, inmate Akechi Goro has a visitor, and a special birthday treat.





	Prison Pancakes

“Immate Akechi Goro, stand up.” The prison guard said, standing in front of his cell. Akechi put down his book. He'd been reading the same page for the last hour, too nervous about whether he'd be called today. He stepped forward, hands at his side, just as the rules of the prison told him to.

“You got a visitor.” The disinterested guard said. “Come along.” The cell door opened, and Akechi calmly walked outside. Always do things calmly and slowly. Anything you do fast is something that makes the guards nervous. Even if his heart was bursting with impatience. But he always had valued composure, and the years in juvie, and then in the general prison population had made running something he didn't really do all that much any more. Not that he needed to. He had time. At least six more years.

The door opened, and for a brief moment his heart raced hoping it would be **him** , but he kept his face in a pleasant smile when he saw Makoto Niijima sitting there behind the glass. She was not the one he hoped for, but she was the one he expected. What wasn't expected was the plate that was standing in front of his chair. Pancakes. With another plate with them on the other side of the glass in front of Makoto. 

He sat down, giving her a friendly smile. “Good day, Niijima-San, you seem to have gone all-out today.” The sweet smell made his mouth water.

“Happy birthday, Akechi-kun. I've convinced the prison cook to do something a bit special. He seems to think highly of your skills.”

Akechi chuckled. “I've always enjoyed talking about food. I suppose now that I have the opportunity I can study the culinary arts a bit. And thank you. I have missed these.” They took their knives and fork and both cut a bit off, chewing on them. 

“Hmm, not bad. I think the cook really did go all out for this.” Makoto said. “So, how have you been?”

“Mostly calm. Every now and then there is a new inmate who simply must hear the story again. I've told it so many times it's routine now. I've been studying some Chinese to pass the time. There's another prisoner who's from Chinese descent and speaks it, so I actually have someone to practice with.”

“That could be very good skill to have in the future. There is always demand for people with that language.” Makoto nodded.

“I'm afraid it's not very 'professional' Chinese though. But if you have any case involving the Triads, I can probably give you some hints to the lingo. I'd probably scare any Chinese people talking to me.” There was a moment of mutual chuckling. “So, how are the others doing?”

“Let's see, Yusuke is on an artist retreat. At least someone's going to make sure he eats well there. Ann is off to Milan, she's really taken to her parents' globetrotting lifestyle. Thank goodness for the internet or we'd hardly see her. Ryuji's fine with it though. Models careers don't last forever, so he can wait for her. His mother is the one that's impatient about the grand-kids.”

“Is he still working in the grocery store?”

“Yes.” Makoto said exasperated. “It's really dumb. I mean, he complains about his job all the time, and how he'd want to spend more time with his mom, but then you point out his wife makes a lot of money, and he could just try to get a degree or something he makes a face.”

“I think Sakomoto-san is just done with schools in general. But he doesn't want to be a deadbeat dad, either.” Akechi said after a moment thought. 

“I suppose you're right. He's also refused to take a job from Haru, even though he really wouldn't be bad at it. Her restaurant is really starting to take off, too.”

“He's so proud. Hahah, maybe I should apply for kitchen staff after I get released.” 

Makoto's face went to carefully neutral, looking down at the pancake as she cut another piece. After a few seconds of silence she picked up. “So, did you get sis' letter?”

He eagerly took the lifeline for the conversation. “Ah yes. I've sent the reply this morning in fact. Of course, I knew of her victory from the newspapers the day it happened. Good to hear Iwai-san won't have to deal with those accusations any more. The newspapers were quite unflattering about Sae-san though. 'The Yakuza's own lawyer' they say. I hope she's coping well.”

Makoto laughed, dispelling the awkwardness. “Cope? She printed out every insulting headline she could find and framed them. The prosecutor was a fool though. Sis told me that if **she** had been prosecuting Iwai-san, she'd have gotten him 10 to 20. Probably ended the guy's career with how she demolished his case.”

“Not too many problems yourself? I can't imagine your colleagues are much of a fan of your sister.” He said.

She shrugged. “Some of them. My father's name still counts for something though. Besides, I like a challenge. All the sweeter when I make it to detective despite their best efforts.”

“Hm, the Niijima's sisters. You are certainly a determined lot.” he grinned and took another pancake. “So, how is... how is Ak... Kurusu-kun?” He said, his tone carefully measured.

The mirth seemed to drain from Makoto's eyes again. “He's fine, Akechi. Taro-san's re-election campaign is keeping him and Morgana busy. Not to mention he's making all kinds of connections of his own. Attending a lot of fancy diners. Gaining a bit of weight if you can believe it.” She said, though her words were guarded.

“Now that's a sight I'd like to see. Does he talk about me sometimes?”

Makoto closed her eyes. Her answer a bit sad, rather than angry. “No, Akechi-kun.”

“Have you asked him about a visit? I mean, there are still a lot of things hanging between us. I've written him some letters but I've not had a reply yet.” The man's calm was showing some cracks.

“No, I haven't, and I told you he's made sure your letters don't get to him, Akechi-kun. And you know that.”

Akechi chuckled, but it had a desperate edge. He'd stopped eating the pancakes, clenching the plastic cutlery. “I know... I know I don't deserve his attention. But I don't... I don't want to hurt him.”

“But it'd hurt him anyway. Sojiro and Futaba are large parts of his life these days. And where there is room for them in his life, to be blunt, there is no room for you. Don't see it as a punishment for what you did. Simply as a consequence. Some doors close when you make a choice. That door is closed now. Don't keep banging on it.”

“It'd be good to get some closure, isn't it, Niijima-san?” He pleaded.

“He has all the closure he wants, and you have all the closure you need.”

“I need to know what he thinks of me. I need to know if he forgives me.” He put a hand on the glass. Behind him, one of the prison guards seemed ready to move, but Makoto signed him to wait.

“You don't. He's not the person you hurt the most anyway, and even if he was, his forgiveness isn't going to set you free, Goro.” She spoke lower. “You need to forgive yourself. You cannot push this task on anyone else.”

“I'm a murderer, a serial killer, a traitor, a criminal piece of trash! Why should I forgive myself?” A tear ran down his cheek.

“The same reason he gave you when you asked him why he saved you.” Makoto said softly.

He shuddered. “'Every human life is worthwhile.' “ He sobbed. “He's really something else isn't he?” He caught himself and wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his uniform. “Ugh, this is distasteful. I'm sorry, Niijima-san.”

“It's fine, Akechi-kun, take your time.” There was some time of silence, with Akechi leaning back against his chair, closing eyes taking deep breaths.

“I keep doing this, don't I?” He sighed. “Sometimes I worry that I don't learn. Always trying to gain someone's approval. I had dreams you know, dreams where Akira forgives me, where we are friends, where I redeem myself by saving his life, sometimes becoming a martyr while doing it. Or dreams where it's... the other way. It is quite pathetic really. It's like instead of obsessing over Shido, I'm now obsessing over him.”

Makoto nodded. “That's why I'm saying you should let him go. Even with your past holding you back, there's a lot of people who can be friends, who you can protect, who you can laugh with, build a life with. In here, and out there once you get out.”

Akechi nodded. “Yes. I know that. I just... need someone to tell me that as I make a spectacle of myself it seems.” He smiled wryly, unclenching his hands, where the plastic cutlery had left some red marks in his palms, and started cutting another piece of pancake. “Do you know a funny thing?”

Makoto took a deep breath, and started on her pancake too. “Hm?”

“So many prisoners here talk about how their life plans got derailed here. Like how their future seems to have vanished.” he smiled. “For me, it's the opposite. Back then, all my plans ended with Shido being elected prime minister, and me exposing him as the man that he was. After that, I suppose I pretty much assumed I'd be dead shortly after. I knew what kind of man he was after all. But I'd take him down with me.” Briefly that smile took a more vicious edge, and those eyes flickered with hatred. But it vanished shortly after. 

He continued. “I kind of assumed I was going to die anyway before I would go to trial. Even after I told the whole story in front of the courts, even after my conviction, I still was waiting for someone paid off by the conspiracy to put a knife in my back somewhere. It wasn't until I was in jail for months that I started to realize that I was going to live. That I have a future. A future as a convicted felon with all that comes attached but still, a future. My future.”

He smiled down at his pancake. “Not bad.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I do like the character of Akechi Goro, but like Haru says, I can sympathize, but not quite forgive. He does need to pay for his crimes. On the other hand, that doesn't mean he needs to die. This was inspired by a prompt for Akechi to get some pancakes on his recent birthday at http://personakinkmeme.dreamwidth.org I felt inspired to do something with that.


End file.
